Dull Glare
by My Vantilene
Summary: How Ventus went from being the boy with no memories or strength to speak of to the keyblade wielder that broke hearts with the words "Put an end to me..."  Ven-centric as always :D  Three chapters to kick the story off.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own KH, and this is normally where most writers put an "Or *what that person would've liked to happen*" joke, but I, personally, don't question Nomura's insanity.

Chapter I: Gardens and Graveyards

Ventus sat indian-style before the rotting door in front of him. It seemed like eons since anyone has moved in the almost-vacant orphanage. But he doesn't mind, all he can focus on is the door. The paint-chipped, dusty, old, unstable door that was one of the only things in his life that always remained a constant variable. But the door never opened, never moved, never budged from its hardly erect, stubborn grip on the threshold.

There were three occupants of the small shed, and there was never more or never less. There was never immigration and never emigration, and he was glad because if he lost any of his new family, he would probably never make it.

There was a small girl, smaller than even Ventus himself, with syrupy crimson hair and big cerulean eyes that always talked even if the conversation was dry and fruitless. Also part of the three's company, was a small boy, still smaller than Ventus, but bigger than the girl, who had slate blue hair, with an extra long bang that always covered up his right azure eye. He never talked, making up for the girl's loudness, but instead listened, and nodded when appropriate. He much rather liked to examine everything than be the one examined. Ventus himself was small in size, the oldest of the trio, but still quite youthful. He had the ocean captured in his eyes and the sun's tendrils sprouting from his head.

"Do you think Mrs. Rehtom is ever coming back?" Kairi started the conversation.

"No." Ienzo replied, looking down at the cement floor that was covered with a light blanket of dust. Disgusted at the lack of cleanliness the place exhibited, he flicked some off off the corner he was sitting in.

"She could." Ventus interjected, eyes still burning a hole through the door.

"I know she will!" Kairi yelled enthusiastically, "You're just a sad-sack, Ienzo."

Ienzo just stared at her, signaling that he was done talking for the day.

"I don't know, she left a month ago, she might've forgotten about us." Ventus supplied, trying to level with Ienzo, knowing that when they had an argument, he was always the tie-breaker. Feeling now bad for Kairi since he had taken Ienzo's side this time, Ventus asked,

"Kairi, how old are you going to be in six months?"

"Three!" she squealed, holding up four fingers. Ventus laughed good-naturedly and turned to Ienzo,

"And how old will you be in two months?" Ienzo, not one to get excited over being counted as more mature in age, surprised the others when he proudly answered,

"Seven!"

"And what about you, Ventus, how old will you be tomorrow?" Ienzo politely inquired, knowing that when you wanted someone to ask you something, you asked them instead, hoping they'll volley the question back to you.

"Thirteen." he replied, beaming. No one who saw him though, would suspect this to be his age. He was starved of basic nutrients, so he never had enough to hit puberty and he doubted he ever would. But, in his situation, that was probably best. If he remained child-sized, then his face would never grow distant from Kairi and Ienzo. If it did, the other two orphans would be even more reminded of the age difference and maybe even grow apart. Ventus knew, from when he had lived outside of the wretched orphanage, that Ienzo and Kairi would definitely grow apart when Ienzo realized Kairi was _girl_ and Kairi realized Ienzo was a _guy_, making their friendship awkward. But for now, they were inseparable.

Just then there was a creak coming from the door, the seemingly impenetrable door. It was Mrs. Rehtom, the orphanage-runner.

"Mrs. Rehtom!" Kairi shrieked as she ran over and hugged her knees, "You've been gone so long…"

"I know, honey, I know. But I left with a goal. And now I am back, after completing that goal." She winced when her eyes fell upon Ventus, "Well, almost all of it."

"What goal did you complete?" Kairi asked eagerly.

"Well," she crouched down on her knees to get eye-level with Kairi and began to speak in that I'm-talking-to-a-little-kid voice, "I was visiting a friend of mine and she told me she wanted to adopt a cute little girl and I told her that I had just the person!" Kairi giggled with happiness. The life she lead there with Ienzo and Ventus was forgotten almost entirely when the old lady walked through the door.

"Hello, Kairi."

"Hiya!" she warmly greeted.

"'Call me Grandma." she said casually.

"Ienzo," Mrs. Rehtom turned to him, "I also have someone here for you." A man with long blonde hair and gentle, warm, fiery eyes stepped through the door.

A couple papers were signed and Ienzo and Kairi were both off. Straight out the door that always remained shut.

"Ventus," she turned to the only child left in the orphanage. His eyes teetered with joy as he anticipated adoption, his stomach was in a knot and his heart was doing flips. He started to imagine the kind of person that would soon be his legal guardian, but her voice cut through the haze, "I'm sorry, but I couldn't find anyone for you."

Ventus was devastated for a second, but then he inwardly face-palmed himself for being so stupid. Of course no one wanted a thirteen-year-old! He should have realized that sooner before he went off and did something crazy like hope. He could feel a few tears spring to life at the base of his eyes and he turned away from the orphanage-runner. And he walked right out the door. The door that once was his life.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

Ventus had made it to the stone fountain on the outskirts of the Radiant Garden before he finally stopped. His world had just collapsed around him. The only two people that really meant something to him were gone, all swept away to better lives. And where was he? Destined to return to the same run-down shed that scarcely qualified to house a child. He sat down on the edge of the fountain, the cool marble biting against the inside of his knees that weren't covered by his shorts. He wiped a tear from his eyes and stared at the sunset that was succumbing to the night promptly. The stars began to arise and the sun completely disintegrated to dust under the horizon. He noticed an odd twinkling in one of the stars. Staring at it for awhile, he began to realize what it was.

"A shooting star!" he marveled, his face sprouting towards the sky in awe, the troubles of the world fading to grey as this became his primary focus. Its tail seemed to get closer and closer until he swore he could just reach out and touch it.

He suddenly began to feel heat on his face, like the warmth of an oven, and it intensified as the shooting star hurtled to the small world and crash landed in the forested area to his left. Out from the ashes, arose a man.

The man was not the prettiest tool in the shed, but to Ventus he was a sight for sore, bored-at-the-moment eyes,

"X-blade…" the man muttered under his breath, pointing to the boy with an outstretched hand.

"What?"

"Boy, what is your name?" he inquired, getting closer to him.

"Ugh…" he looked at him, literally star-struck.

"Didn't your parents ever tell you it's impolite to stare?" he retorted

"No," he replied with a down-cast gaze, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "I don't have any."

"Ahh…an orphan…and where there's and orphan there's and orphanage!" he exclaimed to himself, in his mind devising a plan.

"Excuse me?" The man put a hand on his forehead and whispered,

"You're going to forget this day, child, and tomorrow it will be as if it never happened." The boy's shocked eyes closed as he went limp and collapsed into the old man's arms.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

He awoke on the dust-encrusted floor, just like every other day. He noticed Kairi and Ienzo's absence first, then the fact Mrs. Rehtom was there with a man.

"Mrs. Rehtom, when did you get here? And who's he?" she stared at him oddly,

"Ventus, this nice man here wants to adopt you."

"What about Kairi and Ienzo?"

"They both left, sweetie."

"What?"

"You want to be adopted, don't you?" the man asked with a cruel, impatient smile.

"Of course."

"Great, I'm Master Xehanort, and you are…?"

"Ventus." he replied, getting up from the floor.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Ventus asked, finally questioning his master's authority after a week with the old man.

"Nonsense." he claimed, dismissing the comment with his hand. His armored boots were digging into the futile soil of the Keyblade Graveyard in attempt to channel his anger away from his new, inferior pupil. He wanted more than anything to fight the boy, but he was just a beginner and he needed to be gentle at this point, he could take out his anger on him later.

"Okay…" he agreed unsurely, and summoned his keyblade to once again knock out another of the shadow monsters.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

Ventus breathed heavily in a heap on the ground. His arms on instinct brought up the keyblade to block one of the Darkness-induced enemies, taking every ounce of strength that may have still been left in him.

"You're weak…" seethed Master Xehanort. That was easy for him to say, on a ledge far away from the battle.

He slashed one more time at them, but by then they had already taken over. He just laid there, void of energy or the willingness to go on. Xehanort called off his horde with a snap and came to the boy, sneering,

"Pathetic." He brandished his own keyblade and stabbed the boy in the back with it. The last thing he remembered about life before Xehanort flashed through his mind, the image of a small boy and an even smaller girl.

_Flash Forward!_

After all of the Unversed were defeated, Ienzo stared back at the victor as one of his guardians chatted Ventus up about destiny and crossing paths. When Even had begun to walk back, he stayed behind, staring at Ventus in confusion and thought. How could he not recognize him? His heart shattered when he merely smiled, waved at Even, and left. He just left, not even acknowledging him, even though Even had, clear as day, said he was an orphan. _The _orphan that had spent 6/7 of his life with, who thought of him as the older brother he never had. After these thoughts a new feeling of desertion tore at his heart, but once Even grabbed hold of his hand, he realized that he had another family now. And there was no reason to be upset. After all, if Ventus was to recognize him, wouldn't he still be mad about leaving him at the orphanage?

_End Flash Forward!_

He struck the boy again, beating him into and out of submission multiple times in the same hour. It had been an hour and Xehanort was still fighting the pupil, driving the keyblade into his back and dragging it out again. It was not until then that Ventus finally realized the true meaning of pain. He had no one. His skin was ripping and being torn at. There was no end. There was no escape.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

"Please, don't do this, Master, I'm not strong enough!" That was the lie he was always told by Xehanort, so it was the lie he told himself.

"No. It is because you are trying to hold it in! Let the dark impulses waken in the pit of your heart. Release them here and now! Sharpen your fear with rage. You must! If you do not let the storm within you run its course," Ventus dodged another swipe from the Neoshadows, "it will wipe you from the face of the world, make no mistake! Do it. Embrace the darkness. Produce for your master the X-blade!"

But the Darkness was too strong, and Ventus was too weak. It over took him the second he let his guard down.

"Really? You'd rather die than use the power?" the old Master stood over his unconscious body, "Feckless neophyte, if I must, I will extract the Darkness from within you myself." He then plunged his keyblade into Ventus's heart. As Ventus yelled in agony, Master Xehanort dealt with Vanitas.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

The boy walked in with Master Xehanort, his eyes down-cast with a dull glare. And all he could think about was standing, breathing, and syncopating the rhythm of his heartbeat that stuttered out rough, staccato beats. He needed to focus on standing, it was all he could do, all he remembered to do, all he wanted to worry himself with. His memories may have all been gone, but the impressions they made on him were still there and all too real, so when he came to Master Eraqus's he was expecting not to be treated like a human being, but how Master Xehanort had treated him.

He was so busy planning his breaths and anticipating the next time his heart would thump, that he failed to notice the two apprentices that had walked up to him when Xehanort went to talk to Eraqus in private.

"My name's Aqua," the girl explained, then gesturing to the boy next to her added, "and this is Terra. What's your name?"

"Ventus." he uttered, completely ditching his train of thought about even breathing when he saw the girl in front of him. She was beautiful, with short, azure hair and matching eyes. Her smile was intoxicating and her enchanting features illuminated whenever she did. True, she was taller than Ventus, but he didn't mind that.

"Whew! You can talk!" Terra sounded relieved.

"Well, where did you train before?" No response.

"What weapon do you wield?" No response, but his heart beat seemed to speed up.

"Are you okay?" With that question came a terrifying shriek, he grabbed his head and fell to the ground, riving in agony. Eraqus and Xehanort filed into the room.

"What did you do?" the man asked, striding past Terra.

"Nothing, I just asked him some questions and stuff." was his response. As Master Xehanort came to his aid and held the boy up, Eraqus elaborated,

"Ventus can not tell you anything because he does not remember anything."

_AN:_

_One of my longest chapters. Whew! Did anyone else notice that Eraqus is Square backwards (but, of course with q and u it has to be switched) and Yen Sid is Disney backwards? Also, am I the only one who noticed that during that cutscene with Ienzo and Even when they finally left, Ienzo stayed behind and stared at Ventus for awhile before finally catching up with him? I thought they might've know each other, being orphans and all. Yeah, and I don't really want to put too much detail on the parts that were in BBS, so they may go a little faster than the ones that I made up. And yes, Xehanort Haitian'd Ventus the first time they met. Or so I described…Review if you get it, heck, review even if you don't. And, since I'm trying to make this non-AU, I can't threaten the character's lives if you don't review, like I normally do, but I will say things can get very…_unsavory_ if you don't._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own KH

Chapter II: Strangers

Aqua walked next to the door they were keeping Ventus in and paused a moment. Everyday she visited him, she was sure he would wake up. But, of course, on most days, nothing would happen.

It was an old and dusty room, one of the many in the castle. Eraqus often told stories of when each room used to be filled, all with aspiring keyblade masters training for their birth right. But that was long ago, before the Keyblade War. There was hardly anything in the room, besides some decorative pieces the owner of the dorm had left behind, along with peculiar Tikki masks and torches that had also been stored in the room for, what Master Eraqus said was, the beach luau they had once a year on the shores of another world, but unfortunately because of the apprentices' low population of two, the Master didn't want to risk, well…ugh, things getting out of hand.

"Ventus…" she shook his shoulder one more time, but he didn't stir. She let out a disappointed sigh, and plopped down on the part of the bed he wasn't occupying. She then proceeded to take a sea shell out of her pocket and place it underneath his pillow, next to the others. 27 others. One for everyday he had been asleep.

She had gotten the shells from Destiny Islands, an island world Terra and Aqua were having the privilege to train at for the summer months. However, that day was the last day of the summer months.

She ruffled his blonde spikes a bit, smiling to herself. She had – in an inexplicable manner – grown fond of the boy with no memories. She loved how whenever she did ruffle his hair he would smile immensely and she swore she could hear a sort of…_purring_ sound escape his lips. Aqua knew he was dreaming by the many facial expressions he exhibited and how he would sometimes say words, but they were always vague things like, "No…" "Please." "Exactly!", things that gave her no insight as to what the boy was referring to. Sometimes he would burst out laughing during her visits for no reason. Other times she could find tear streaks down his face, which she would always wipe.

She remembered her first visit vividly, Terra had been there, armed with a Sharpie and prepared for some vandalizing. She quickly snatched the pen away and rebuked him harshly with a thump on the back of the head.

As she started for the door, Terra walked in,

"You still babysitting him?" he asked, defensively stiff as slid into the room.

"What do you mean? I'm just seeing if–"

"Yeah, if today's the day he wakes up, yatta, yatta, but do you really want that?" Glancing back at the sleeping figure,

"Yes." she decided brusquely.

"I'm not so sure you get what's going to happen when he does. We're going to always have to miss out on some training to help a beginner get up to speed. You can kiss all our privileges goodbye, because the second he opens his eyes, it's back to square one for both of us. He's just going to get in the way!"

"Terra!" she was utterly shocked at how irrational he was being. She stared at him and finally got her answer as to why he was acting so out of character. He was scared another person would break the delicate balance that was his life, just like the door had done to Ventus.

Once he got that she knew, he turned away, his cheeks flaming with embarrassment at the fact she could read him so well. He walked out the door and Aqua followed. But her fingers lingered in the threshold as she looked one last time back at Ventus. With complete surprise, she called down the hall jubilantly,

"Terra, Master Eraqus, Ventus is awake! It's a miracle!" Terra walked back into the room.

Whatever angry emotions Terra had for the boy completely vanished as he smiled and feigned sincerity,

"Glad to see you're awake." he "affectionately" clamped a hand down on his shoulder once he had gotten out of the bed. Ventus's dull glare dissipated momentarily and was replaced with one of absolute animosity as he stared up at the older apprentice. Shoving his hand away, he darted out the door, just as Master Eraqus was entering.

"What did you do this time, Terra?" he sighed disappointedly, watching with worry lines as his new pupil ran down the corridor.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

Ventus was at the summit when Aqua finally found him. She sat on the rock next to him and let her armored boots dangle off the edge,

"I'm guessing you heard the whole thing…?" He nodded, and she noticed the dull glare was back in his eyes.

"Sorry about that," she scratched the back of her neck, "Terra can be a real jerk sometimes." All of a sudden fear was stricken into his eyes as he jumped up from the rock and summoned his keyblade. It was the dark monsters again, they were attacking. He feverishly speed-sliced them as fast and as hard as he could. He threw himself into a frenzy trying to kill the horrible beasts that were all he dreamed of when he was asleep. He felt Aqua's hand slide onto his shoulder and her words were barely audible over his battle cries,

"Ventus! Ventus, stop!" He finally turned to her worried face, and as he focused on her and only her the monsters dematerialized in a flash of light. He turned back and the horde was gone.

"There was nothing there, was there?"

"No." she shook her head with a down-cast gaze.

"I'm sorry." he muttered, sincerely remorseful for causing her a fright, and he was about to run again, but Aqua caught his hand. He was genuinely surprised at the notion, and that was enough to keep him by her side.

"Wait." she reached into her pocket and pulled out two straps that connected to each other in an X formation with an emblem tied to part of where they intersected. The emblem was the same one on her sash that wrapped around her chest, "It's something that I want you to have." She placed her hand – with the object – in his and he felt the warmth of her skin for a second before she took her hands away again. He quickly fastened it around his torso, modeling it after her own choice of position, oppose to using it like a belt as Terra had done. He smiled a second, but it soon vanished as he took a seat on the rock again. She sat next to him.

"Am I really going to bring you down, Aqua?" The way he looked at her and the desperation in his voice absolutely broke her heart. His gaze was wide and innocent, but somehow hurt and confused, like a little lost puppy. On the inside she was going _Awww!_ and had to fight down the strong urge to ruffle his hair again.

"Ven, I–"

"What did you call me?" he sharply interrupted her, completely out of character as his voice carried a dark undertone.

"Oh." she blushed in embarrassment and her eyes zeroed in on her feet, "It's kind of, ugh, a nickname I thought of while you were asleep."

"Oh." he also became fixated with the ground and his voice softened, "I like it. It– it sounds less formal and more–" he stuttered to find the right words, "more carefree, breezier, just like the wind."

"Yeah," she agreed, "It suits you, Ven."

He smiled, "Ven."

And from that point on, the figments of a memory he had forgotten never bothered him again – until, well, you know the story...

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

Once that match had begun, Ven realized that he was fighting a losing battle. Terra was strong and used brute force, but was never quite as fast as his younger opponent. And whatever Ven lacked in power, he made up for in speed and agility. But he was so inexperienced at the time it was almost an unfair fight. He blocked a couple blows, but once he switched to offense, Terra saw the opportunity and knocked him off balance, sending him skidding to the ground.

"Come on, Ven, giving up already? I thought you were stronger than _that_." Terra was trying to encourage him, but to Ven it just seemed like he was taunting him. Aqua, who, on the sidelines, served as a cheerleader, pumped her fist and rooted,

"Ven you almost had him. Just try again!" Spitting some grass out of his mouth, Ven found enough strength to pull himself up off the ground.

"Hey, wait– are you guys teaming up on me now?" He rhetorically laughed as Ven came at him with another blow. Terra was a little worn out, so he let that be that.

The three of them sat at the edge of the summit's precipice, their gazes on the sky and Ven's gaze on the toy sword, full of dismay.

"Ven, you see all those dents and nicks you got?" Terra asked, pointing to the sword. Aqua chimed in the last part, "Each one of those is proof you're learning."

"You're trying too hard to move your body. You need to learn to let your body move you. Right?" he got up and coughed, then, laughing, he imitated what a real passing of a keyblade would be like.

"In your hand, take this blade.

And as long as you have the makings,

Then through this simple act of taking,

Its wielder you shall one day be made."

"What's _that_ about? Who went and made you Master?" Aqua laughed.

"Being a keyblade wielder is all I've dreamed about."

"Well, you're not the only one." She reminded him, tilting her head.

"I know," he claimed, kneeling down to the ledge Aqua and Ven were sitting on, "You, me, and Ven all share the same dream."

At the same moment in time Vanitas was having a delightfully horrible dream about bloodlust and the slicing of throats. Then he flinched upward, bringing his head and knees almost together.

"Screw you, Ventus, and you're heart-felt moments of trust!" he cursed, then tried to go back to sleep, but found it hard with Ventus's constant spur of emotions.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

Aqua stepped into the dining hall with light, armored footsteps. She could feel the tension once she walked inside. Sitting down in her usual spot, she looked both of the apprentices over inquisitively.

"Is something wrong?" she questioned, noting that there wasn't necessarily an anger adrift in the room, but a sort of confusing after shock of uneasiness.

"No." Terra replied. There was silence and all that could be heard was the rattle of silverware clattering against plates and food.

"What about you, Ven?"

They all paused their eating to hear what he had to say, so when he dropped his fork on his plate the clang, against the silence, was deafening. He got up, took his plate in his hands, pushed in his chair, and stared at the other apprentices and said in a small voice,

"I'm going to finish my dinner in my room." And with that, he left Aqua and Terra alone in the awkwardness of the moment.

"What was that all about?"

"He's being childish." Terra snorted.

"And you're being inconsiderate." Aqua stated immediately, defensive, in a way.

"I meant him." he clarified, raising his eyebrows as if to point to the Master who had just walked in. And with that, Terra took his own plate to his room as Master Eraqus sat next to Aqua. They ate in silence for a time before Aqua finally found the nerve to ask,

"What happened?"

"As you know, every Thanksgiving we go to the Olympus Coliseum for extra training and good food, since I have connections there. But unfortunately Ventus will not be able to join us."

"What?" she shrieked, standing up from her chair.

"Please, Aqua, be more civilized than those two and hear me out." he gestured to the seat. She sat back down.

"Master, with all due respect, Ven is part of the family now. He deserves to be there with us. Besides, he's never been outside this world and–"

"And that's how it's going to stay, Ventus must never leave The Land of Departure."

"Why?"

"Because he has to."

"But he's worked just as hard as any of us, maybe even more than some of us to catch up. You know he won't be overcome with Darkness and–"

"That's enough. You've made your point, Aqua." But for some reason she couldn't stop herself,

"But you have no reason to distrust him and he's still getting used to the new adjustments and he'd be on his best behavior and you know he'd enjoy a change of scenery, he's never seen outside these walls and–"

"I said that's enough!" he yelled and slammed his fist down on the table.

After a moment of silence he added, "I'm protecting him."

"You're imprisoning him." she corrected quietly as she walked to back to her own room.

_AN:_

_Lol, you _know_ when I said Terra snort, you were thinking of Terranort. I am so proud of myself right now. I mean, I could've rushed the scene where Ven woke up, like she just walked in and he up and awoke, but I decided to take my time and, yes, Aqua pulled a Xion with those seashells. And I know you guys are like – whoa, Thanksgiving? Ikr? Some of you might not even celebrate the holiday. I, personally, celebrate the Canadian version (On the third Monday in October) and the American version (On the fourth Thursday of November). And for some reason, I can't take brotherly love. I like brotherly conflict! Like with Peter and Nathan (from Heroes) Tim Kring kept insinuating that Peter is okay with Nathan being a big-shot senator, who threw him under the bus several times with the press, a lying douche bag, a traitor in S3, and the reason their father hates him, while always having to live in his shadow. And that despite it all, he loves his brother. As if. Same with Terra and Ven. Nomura, you know Ven has to be somewhat jealous and Terra has to be somewhat annoyed with a new trainee who can barely fight. Honestly, I would have liked to see some more angst with Ven about being the youngest and stuff, so I think I'll have to put that in there. Let me know if you want to request something or have an idea for a chapter, which would be great, of course I'd give ya credit. WHOO! Man, I talk a lot. One last thing I thought of,_

_Xion sells seashells by the seashore. Xion sells seashells by the seashore. Xion sells seashells by the seashore. Xion sells seashells by the seashore. Xion sells seashells by the seashore._

_*Takes in long breath* Now, I'm done. _


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: No ownership whatsoever. Except for the door that I keep making obsessive references to, that is mine. :P

Chapter III: Civil Disobedience

"What are you three still doing up?" he asked his pupils as he stumbled upon them in the castle's library, all sitting in the blue lounge chairs.

"Reading." Ven answered, sticking his nose further into the book he was so heavily "intoxicated" by.

"Research." Aqua, who was at the computer, replied, mashing her fingers on the home row keys, causing the search engine to read .

Ven rolled his eyes, then punched Terra in the stomach in attempt to wake him up,

"Keeping look out!" was the outburst that erupted from the groggy apprentice.

"For what?"

"Wombats!"

"Wombats?"

"Immortal Wombat!"

"Terra, did you find my stash?" he interrogated in a hush tone. All the faintness evaporated from his expression and voice as soberness set in,

"What stash, Master?"

"Ahem," he coughed, "Never mind that. I need you three to get to bed, now. Whoever's idea this was to stay up until 2:00 is going to be severely–"

"No." they all interrupted in unanimity.

"Excuse me?"

"We're not going to bed." Terra clarified.

"Yes. You are."

"No. We're not." Aqua crossed her arms.

"I think you'd find it in your best interest to go to your rooms before you dry my patience."

"I wouldn't be so fast to draw conclusions."

"Now." he growled faintly in his undertone and pointed to the door.

Nobody moved.

"Ugh, why did I become an educator to teenagers? Why must they all be insolently rebellious?" he complained to himself, turning his back to the students.

"You know what they say, those who can't do, teach." shot Ven with a cool and collected face framed by his elbows that stuck out when he laid his hands behind his head.

"That is enough out of you, Ventus." Master Eraqus turned around sharply to face them once again, "I never thought you'd be one to join in on this tomfoolery."

"I'm the reason this is going on, Eraqus." The old master cringed. His student hadn't addressed him as "Master Eraqus" or just simply "Master." He had called him bluntly by his first name, and that got him steamed.

"What do you mean?" he tried to question with a level head, but his words dripped with anger.

"Civil disobedience. We're protesting the fact Ven's not allowed to come to the Coliseum with us." Aqua explained.

Master Eraqus sighed a deep and hearty sigh. This was a matter he felt strongly about. Of course, Ventus had grown on him the months he had been there, but it was too dangerous to let him leave. If Vanitas caught wind of it and they fought then…well, Master Eraqus didn't want to think about what would happen next, but the visions of the Keyblade War came back to him vividly in short lapses as he spoke,

"I told you, he can't come with us."

"Why not?" they all yelled in unison.

"My decision is final." he claimed, holding up a hand to silence the outburst that he knew were sure to come. But that still didn't stop them from arguing,

"You can't do this!"

"Ven is part of the family now!"

"Ohana!"

"What?"

"It means no one gets left behind or forgotten in Hawaiian."

"What?" Aqua turned to Terra in surprise.

"Fine. Stay up as long as you want, but tomorrow we're having an extra training session at 5:00 sharp."

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

It was killing Master Eraqus on the inside to watch his apprentices so drained, and yet have to fight for their lives versus each other as they fought in a three-way spar. Pitting them against each other was the best punishment he could think of while they were in their no-energy state. They had boycotted eating as well.

The Master didn't exactly get why they were trying so hard for Ventus (the newest and youngest addition to the group) to be able to come with them. It was only a weekend and they didn't necessarily have to protest to these extremes.

Aqua did it because she didn't want Ven to miss out on the fun and celebration, and it would break her heart to ever see Ven in that state when he had first arrived again. Terra did it because he was afraid something would happen in their absence and wanted to protect Ven from whatever Master Eraqus had rambled on about. Ven did it because he didn't want to lose the only thing he'd ever had in his life, and for some reason he thought once they left they wouldn't come back, because in the deep, dark recesses of his mind he vaguely remembered who his parents were and what they had done.

Ven dodged another of Terra's meteor command, but his agility and speed were both running low. One finally hit, causing him to press into the ground and almost suffocate under the pressure. Terra quickly dispersed the flaming rock as him and Aqua ran to his side.

"Cure." she cast, shaking her head. He breathed slightly harder.

"Cura." a green light emanated off of him in short lapses and choppily let some of his wounds heal.

"Curaga." Terra and her cast in unison, a green flame igniting him in a pool of remedial treatment. He coughed up some blood and that was that. They immediately went back to fighting. And that was too much on the experienced master's heart.

"That's enough." All three paused and stared at him, then regrouped and stood at attention. Even in the midst of protest, they had respect for their teacher.

"Ventus."

"Yes, Master?"

"I want you to go to the summit and await further instructions."

"Yes, Master." and he was off.

"Terra and Aqua?"

"Yes, Master?"

"I want you two to finally have some breakfast while I have a word with Ventus."  
"I'm sorry, Master, I can't do that." Terra replied as Aqua nodded, clarifying she was in the same boat.

"You will or Ventus won't be able to join us for Thanksgiving." They both ran to the dining hall.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

"I'm sorry, Ventus," he sighed, sitting down on a rock next to his youngest disciple, "But I can't let you come with us. You need to stop dragging your wellbeing into this."

"You mean you actually care if I starve or not?" he questioned brusquely, throwing an out-of-place pebble off the precipice.

"Ventus!" his eyes were wide with shock, but he took a deep breath and continued in a cool and collected tone, "I'm doing this for your own good. When you're older," here a low growl that escaped Ven's lips could be heard, "you'll understand."

"Can you just tell me why? Any why, I'll be okay if you just tell me." He gulped and turned the other way, scratching his elbow. He knew what he was going to say. He knew those words that seemed vaguely familiar would come out of his master's lips. Ventus, you're not strong enough. He knew the phrase so well and he braced himself to hear them out loud. It was going to hurt, he just _knew_ it.

"Ventus, I can't tell you."

But he didn't know how much it was actually going to hurt. Sure, he had gathered from the beginning of his days there that he wasn't necessarily the strongest among the trio, and it wasn't that that had bothered him. It was the fact _other_ people knew. But those words sent bullets through his chest much harder and faster than the answer he was anticipating. He was the youngest and the weakest, but he thought that he had made at least _some_ good impression on the Master that was like a father to him. But he didn't trust him enough to tell him the truth. Was he really the student the Master just had to put up with? Tears filled his cheeks like fiery liquid on brimstone. He wiped away a few cascading drops and felt the sting of its warmth on his skin against the oppressive cold of night beginning to sneak up on the sunset.

"You don't trust me, do you?" he inquired, not daring to look at his master. There was silence a moment as Master Eraqus chewed over his words carefully,

"I'm sorry, Ventus. But you can't leave the world yet." He got up from the rock and offered a hand to Ven, but he replied darkly through blonde, knitted brows,

"Why do you care if I leave the world or not?"

"Ventus, let's not be blind." He let out a good-natured laugh and offered his hand again, "I care for your safety."

"Why? Is there some homicidal maniac out there with my name on his blade?"

"…No. Ugh, but, um, there are just some things that…"

"If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. I understand. After all, I've only been here three months, who am I to–" his voice broke and he had to rough the words through tears that were clouding the base of his eyes, "judge." He jumped from the rock so spontaneously it almost gave Eraqus a heart-attack.

"Ventus!" he called as his student ran as fast as the wind.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

"This is your fault." Aqua replied when morning came and there was no sign of the blonde apprentice.

"I couldn't tell him. And the next thing I knew–" the Master didn't feel like continuing as he sat down in one of the green-lined blue chairs that rested inside one of the stained glass window rooms of the castle.

"We'll find him." Terra assured Master Eraqus as he pressed his shoulder and in a flash he was full armored. He threw his glider up and sat on it like a chopper. Master Eraqus sighed as he crashed into the door on his way out. He turned to Aqua expectantly,

"Please make sure he doesn't cause any trouble…?"

"Yes, Master." She followed Terra's suit. After she walked out the door.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

Master Eraqus sat, still in the chair next to the window, and watched the horizon eagerly, anticipating his three pupils to come striding up the walk in high-spirits. He always did anticipate best case scenario too much.

Ironically, it was actually Thanksgiving Day. It looked like no one was going to go to the Coliseum that year.

Squinting his brown, almond-shaped eyes at the cloudy sky he could see a distant spark spur from one of the dreary clouds. There was almost no delay from when he turned back to look inside rather than out and when Terra came crashing through the roof. Aqua rebuked him from the stoned stair case that led to the castle's door. On her back was an unconscious boy.

"Ventus…" he breathed before he ran to her, "Is he okay?"

"I don't know. We found him like this. He has bruises and some cuts, but other than that he looks fine." She flipped his body over onto one of the blue couches. She sat on the arm-rest and looked down at him. She couldn't help but smile (and they couldn't help but laugh) when she ruffled his hair and the familiar smile broke out as the purring noise he had made the first time grew louder.

"You're going to wake him up!" Aqua whisper-shouted at Terra when his snickers got too loud. After the laughter had ceased and the giggles died down, Master Eraqus requested that they all went to bed early and checked on Ventus in the morning.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

He didn't wake up the next day.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

Or the next day.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

Yes, this is subliminal advertising for the world's greatest pyro.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

Or the next day.

A~*~X~*~E~*~L~*~I~*~S~*~A~*~W~*~E~*~S~*~O~*~M~*~E

It was 12:00 when she found herself waking up on her own. She couldn't sleep, not tonight. Ven…would he be stuck like that forever? She tried to push that thought out of her fogged mind and clamped her hands onto the sheets as she pulled them closer for support. The thought came back around, cutting through the haze and attacking her with such mind-splitting sharpness she felt she might've fallen off the bed. Would he be stuck like that forever? It was a good question.

She toddled out of bed, using the end table for support. Still half-asleep, she somehow found herself next to where Ven was sleeping. She racked her brain for any known spell that could disperse his slumber, but all she could get out of the major headache it gave her, was a story the Master had told when she was younger. It was about a girl who fell into a deep sleep, and only her prince in shining armor could save her from a perpetual nightmare. And the curse could only be lifted if…

A temporary sunburn settled on her cheeks. No. She couldn't. She wouldn't. Ven was her friend and–

Quickly, the transaction went through, and somehow Ven's eyes stuttered to life. He was surprised for a second, but finally reacted.

–and she didn't want to do anything to ruin that.

_AN:_

_Hehe…Venqua, I think is what they call it. :P No, it's not what you think. This story has a lot of back and forth Ven x Aqua and Terra x Aqua, never any official pairings, because I'm trying to make this a non-AU, as I've said before. It think it will please both audiences. A review would be delicious...so would I suggestion...oh, it makes my mouth water just thinking about it... _


End file.
